Arab Man Confesses to Killing Jewish Girlfriend to Support ‘Release of Palestinian Prisoners’

A Palestinian man has confessed to slaying his Israeli girlfriend, 29-year-old Michal Halimi, after she went missing two months ago.

Police said the killer, Muhammad Harouf, admitted his guilt after an investigation into Halimi’s disappearance.

Halimi, a resident of the community of Adam in the West Bank, was initially reported missing on May 23. Her body was found July 24 in the Sand Dunes Park in Holon.

Harouf’s confession came after he initially gave multiple conflicting accounts of Halimi’s whereabouts. Following his confession, Harouf was brought to Holon to reenact the murder. He told police he strangled his girlfriend and then hit her in the head with a rock before burying her body.

Harouf said he had a nationalistic motivation for the murder when speaking with reporters Wednesday outside the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court.

“I wanted to free [Palestinian security] prisoners,” he said.

In the courtroom, Harouf kicked a prison guard and screamed, “I’ll kill all the Jews,” Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

The Tel Aviv District Court is expected to indict Harouf for murder and additional charges in the coming days.